Morning Bell: Car Salesman in Chief

On April 8, 1952, President Harry Truman ordered Commerce Secretary Charles Sawyer to seize and take over operation of most of the country’s steel mills. Truman cited no legislative authority for his actions. Instead, he cited the Korean War. Truman claimed there was a national emergency and his presidential war powers were all the authority he needed to nationalize the steel industry. The steel companies fought back, and in the landmark case Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer the Supreme Court found Truman’s actions to be unconstitutional.

Justifying President Barack Obama’s unprecedented control over the U.S auto industry, an administration official told Politico: “We’re in an economic crisis, which takes shared responsibility and shared sacrifice. The only way that we will recover is if everybody puts a little skin in the game.” Unlike Truman, Obama actually has some legislative authority to hang his nationalization hat on: the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which created the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds that Obama is using to control General Motors and Chrysler. But, as we argued at the time, the broad delegation of powers in the bill makes it constitutionally suspect. Did any member of Congress voting for EESA really even contemplate that the bill would lead to a President of the United States saying this:

In this context, my administration will offer General Motors adequate working capital over the next 60 days. During this time, my team will be working closely with GM to produce a better business plan. … I am confident that if we are each willing to do our part, then this restructuring, as painful as it will be in the short-term, will mark not an end, but a new beginning for a great American industry; an auto industry that is once more out-competing the world; a 21st century auto industry that is creating new jobs, unleashing new prosperity, and manufacturing the fuel-efficient cars and trucks that will carry us toward an energy independent future.

As great of a lawyer, community activist, and law professor as President Obama may have been, when has he ever run any company or come up with a single business plan. Now he’s running General Motors? But Obama didn’t stop at auto company CEO:

No one can deny that our auto industry has made meaningful progress in recent years. Some of the cars made by American workers are now outperforming the best cars made abroad. In 2008, the North American Car of the Year was a GM. … just in case there are still nagging doubts, let me say it as plainly as I can –- if you buy a car from Chrysler or General Motors, you will be able to get your car serviced and repaired, just like always. Your warranty will be safe. In fact, it will be safer than it’s ever been. Because starting today, the United States government will stand behind your warranty.

Did we elect a president or a car salesman? Problem is, when we let the government become a market participant, there is no difference. Hence the slew of other incentives Obama threw at the auto industry.

Back in November we argued that bankruptcy was the best option for General Motors. But others argued that General Motors needed more time to prepare for a filing. Its now four months later and the Obama Administration is now claiming GM should have another 60 days. This political charade must end. No President of the United States should be selling cars out of the Grand Foyer of the White House. It’s embarrassing. Bankruptcy is still the best policy for General Motors and Chrysler.

Quick Hits:

The brazen occupation of a Pakistani police academy Monday is the latest indication that Islamist terrorism now threatens Pakistan’s political stability nationwide.

According to a report from the Congressional Budget Office the Social Security trust fund surplus is forecast to all but vanish next year.

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Now that the Government in in the business of operating a business, who will handle the "business" of Government? Who now handles the Country's defense, CVS? Who will handle the IRS, Piggly-Wiggly? And who will deal with foreign affairs, maybe Bristol Meyers? President Obama and his Administration doesn't realize that running a business is a full time job and you cannot have distractions like Welfare, Social Security and Medicare.

The reality is that President Obama has raped the Constitution and the Hill is doing nothing about it. The oath of every official in Washington D.C. contains the words "… to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States – SO HELP ME GOD.". Not only have they lied to Us, the American Citizen, they have broken their oath to God!

THESE AUTO MAKERS FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP PRICED THEMSELVES OUT OF THE MARKET. LET THEM GO INTO CHAPTER 11 AND HAVE EXPERTS HELP STABILIZE THEM. PRESIDENT OBAMA RELIES ON THEORIES THAT SHOULD WORK BUT THE REALITY IS THEY DO NOT. I AM GOING TO SPOKANE, WA. TAX DAY TEA PARTY ON 15TH TO BE PART OF MOVEMENT TO CURB SPENDING AND STOP THE AGENDA OF PRESIDENT OBAMA.

This administration is a joke. They created these problems, B. Frank, C. Dodd, the democrats in general; the banking committee and now they are deciding who stays, who goes, who gets a pension, who doesn't and how much. As peoples 401K's diminish and their futures, especially retirees, dwindle, we have a bunch of arrogant rookie trying to make the pright plays. I hope everybody remembers all of the heartburn and missteps at election time!

Obama must believe that he was elected made into a god. He seems to think that he was thus immediately endowed with omnipotence and omniscience.

The question is: why are other "leaders" letting him slide? Where is the opposition? Does it have any potency, any courage to stand up for what is right to confront his destruction of our economic system?

Obama must believe that he was elected and made into a god. He seems to think that he was thus immediately endowed with omnipotence and omniscience.

The question is: why are other "leaders" letting him slide? Where is the opposition? Does it have any potency, any courage to stand up for what is right and to confront his destruction of our economic system?

Bravo! for pointing out that we have a multi-tasking president, capable of: running our banking system, teaching us that Rush Limbaugh isn't an acceptable voice for Americans to listen to, warning us of the danger of CO2 from the polluting manufacturing industry, providing Americans a competent, modernized medical system, and now alleviating our concerns that GM may not be able to honor warranties by backing them with the promise of government. Finally, I can rest assured that "papa" government is there to assuage my responsibilities and calm my nerves. Oh, how I love "change."

Can we drop the "He's intelligent,well-educated…" qualifiers from descriptions of the current president of the United States government? That kind of praise is partially reponsible for the fool's arrogance.

Personally, I vote for my presidents to strengthen and support the constitution and defend our ideals against all enemies, external and internal.

I don't vote for them to run car manufacturers or banks.

I myself don't want a fascist dictator telling us or any other business how to manage itself. We have business law in this country and maybe we need a president to respect that and allow them to do their jobs. Instead his megalomania has thwarted the entire justice system which is in place to protect us from corruption.

Failing businesses have a legal restructuring opportunity called chapter 11. For them to use political extortion to gain an escape from a court guided restructure, stinks of a high level lobbying attempt to save themselves using politics.

Business as usual, not a change for the better. This is a giant lobbying attempt, extorting money from American wallets, with a naive president willing to force his megalomania upon an unsuspecting country, with no regards for its consequences.

Maybe he should be addressing why congress wrote laws to create the injustice in economics we have in place and ferret out the corruption in congress before he seeks to attack America. If no laws have been broken, then congress, who created these laws is to blame for our present crisis.

Obama should do his job, instead of Corporate America's and get back into his office and fix congress. He is diverting attention from his lack of ability to fix congressional fraud, as we watch politician after politician defend the corrupting of the American system in favor of keeping their influence peddling and broadening their base.

I see no change other than a president avoiding the real responsibility and that is to do his job in leading congress out of their present state of coercion and deceit protecting special interests. We are here at this dilemma at the hands of political ineptitude, not because of Detroit or AIG.

Some one should tell him to go back to the white house and do HIS job not some one else's. He is meddling not fixing the economy, and supporting a giant scam to coerce the country into supporting a private company and protecting it from the courts. This is fraud at a very high level. Why are the courts not seeing he is out of bounds and stealing their justice??

What's next we lobby the president to release criminality from its just court appointment?

What is the Heritage Foundation's view of how much voter fraud effected the 2008 and 2006 election? I hear on all the talk shows that it is a major problem but no one is able to say how much of a problem or how much it played a part in the last two elections. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

The answer to the question, "When has Obama ever created a business plan?" is simply this: He isn't the one developing a business plan, just like he isn't President of the United States. A more appropriate question is, "What or who is Hussein Obama acting as figurehead while pretending to be POTUS?"

It is this citizen's view that Hussein Obama isn't smart enough to develop a business plan. He is-however-the great "deliverer" with the support of other Marxist miscreants, and a teleprompter.

Isn't this called loan sharking? Add this to extortion of the American taxpayer. Looks like the rotten core of Chicago politics has infected the entire nation. For all those free spirited liberals responsible for this leftist administration and congressional majority, it's sort of like an STD.

I guess some did not hear that we are not to question the "chosen one". He has all the plans and not one of the answers. When will people wake up a see that an idiot was elected to the highest office of this land???

The government does not need to be in the auto business, or oil business either. the government is supposed to look after this country, not try to run everthing in it. Obama thinks more government is the answer to all our ills, when in fact less government is the right answer.The unions have him in their pockets and will always have him there. They had a place in time, that time has passed. When a union can controll the white house and this country it is wrong. They tell a company what it can do and how much it will pay the workers, not what the company can afford. The "chosen one" has sold the american people a line of crap on what he knows and can do for us. The only true thing he has SAID, WE WILL ALL DEPEND ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR OUR NEEDS. That is the manin thing that is wrong today. The government should be by the people and for the people, the government should not controll all we do.

It is an easy solution. No one buy a GM product. These bastards love power. Money buys their power. The best way to show that we reject the coarse obama has set is to force GM into bankruptcy, no one buying their cars. As far as the employees go, we the people can come up with the money. We, the private sector in America, came up with more money for Katrina than any government official ever thought of. I guess it just matters what the cause is huh? The best vote you have is your pocket book. Pull your money out of any bank that took bail out money, and don't buy any cars until the U.S. companies are forced to go through bankruptcy! I'm not saying you need to buy foreign cars, just nothing until the right thing happens.

You're absolutely right-on Jamie. Unfortunately, your federal earnings tax dollars are doing much of the buying. But I do agree that boycotting GM products is the best way to have your voice heard. Lord knows the Obama administration and leftist congress aren't hearing it.

You are truly idiots. The more you spout the more stupidity you let out.

God save us from the ilk on these pages. You are clueless and YOU are the anti americans here.

Wow – I wrote a blog with no facts, how common. Next thing you know I'll be a Capitalist puppet neocon railing to become further impoversihed by Wall Street and the Corporate elite.

None of you swill spewing rable dare take me on. You are either "experts" educated beyond your verifiable intellect, or you are "so 20 minutes ago is when this problem started" and too naive or young to get into the proper battle.

Rant baby rant. And try not to injure yourselves hoisting those Tea Bags.

Thanks to the dumbing down of America, the premise of Free Enterprise has become an obsolete consept. Once a required subject for high school seniors in our local schools, it is no longer offered even as an elective. The left with the able assistance of the National Education Association has been hard at work programming the youth to their ideology. Add to that college professors statistically holding and teaching socialistic dogma and no wonder first time voters were convinced Obama was their man.

This is really scary. Do you realize that none of the guys at the top have ever run a business. What are they going to do next. We need to let them know how we feel . There is no more sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone else to do it for us. We need to get the message out to those who represent us that their job is on the line. It's time to put a stop to all this. We need to get people to wake up to the fact the government is taking over. The system in place never worked when FDR did it and it won't work now. The government serves us and they need to abide by the constitution. Let's pray that the rest of the people wake up and pay attention to the fact we are going down hill fast.

The economy during FDR never recovered until after he died. The ones in charge on capitol hill seems to want to create their own history and don't really look at how thinks really were. It was the typical American that brought us through then and it will again, government needs to get out of the way.

Comrades,it's time to call and write your politburo representative and demand that they grow a backbone or next election,if obama hasn't made himself chairman for life and suspended all freedom,they might be looking for other employment. Government involvement is a sure fire way to destroy most anything,especially with the dems incharge. How many days does congress actually work and at what salary? Did we approve their wages? Did we approve all those nice pay raises? No, yet they get paid and get nothing done except putting us deeper in debt. We will be the ones who will decide who stays and who goes if only we wake up and stop being so apathetic and only concerned about things that affect us directly. To use an automotive term,"The wheel the squeals the loudest gets the grease". America Awake,before it too late

I haven't seen any thoughts concerning obamas new aquisition, government motors, and what he intends to do with it or how to handle it. What I haven't heard him say is is he going to dictate that all government motors cars be repaired or serviced by only the dealership network? Are those of us that are independent shop owners going to be dictated to or made illegal in regards to repairing the government motors vehicles? Just curious.

Government meddling in the free market is a precursor of things to come.

Thus far the administration has acheived government ownership in banks, insurance and automobile companies and are steadfastly comitted to the redistribution of wealth.

I cannot say that the administration has achieved Fascism as yet but if they achieve a single party state they will have arrived. And, if the adminstration is successful in granting amnesty to the illegal Mexicans, Mr. Obama will guarantee a Democrat majority for years to come. So we will, for all practical purposes, have a one party state.

So if we do not have Fascism we at least have Fabian Socialism and either way I think the President will be happy.

Ken Jarvis, is the finest example of what I've been talking about for the last ten years. A person, educated in our socialist school system, led to believe the root of all evil is this country. He can't think on his own, he is godless, bitter and hateful. You cannot understand his thinking, there is no logical explaination for this type of thinking, except indoctrination. His only concern is that your way of thinking is to be wiped out. Also bordertown, don't refer to god, when you vote for someone who sponsors wholesale abortion, like it's, ho hum, just another inconvience, we have saved you from yourself again.

I was going to post my feelings regarding the latest dabblings of Mr Obamas into the running of major corperations, but instead I would like to speak to you and others like you. You offer a berating via keyboard to people you know you never have to stand face to face with and then tell us that dare not enter a battle with you. Furthermore you use sarcasm to enphasise your point that we have no facts to back uop our claims of socialism or the fact that this administrations actions are unconstitutional, yet you offer no facts in their defence. So as you sit at your computer screen and pat yourself on the back for you clever remarks, just remember because someone would rather not argue with someone such as yourself does not mean that they are scared, but simply their time is better spent on other endeavors.

P.S. I am 24 years old and there was a day in this country that if you accused another man of being unamerican that you had better be prepared for an exchange that would not consist of words.

I hear all this grumbling about what Obama and Congress are doing and how unconstitutional it is. Well, is anyone challenging them? I would be more than willing to file a lawsuit against the President and the Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate charging them with high crimes and misdemeanors and anything else you can come up with but is there a lawyer out there willing to take the case? I'm at the point where I'm tired of all this talk and no action (Tea Parties are a nice start but they won't be effective because not enough Americans know about them and/or have been dumbed down for so long, they don't care). I want to see some serious action. It's a case that will likely end up in the Supreme Court so it's got to be filed pretty quickly before the makeup of the court changes in favor of the liberals.

Not only should the car manufacturers go bankrupt but, Rockefeller group of companies should go belly up along with his buddies company, AIG.

I am appalled that the people of this great nation would allow our children and grandchildren for generations to pay for something that is CLEARLY NOT OUR FAULT.

Remember, we the people made these industries very wealthy and this is how they repay us.

We the people are speaking out…….

We do not own jets or helicopters. We do not own limos. We do not own yachts and 10 mansions all over the world. We do not have 20 Swiss bank accounts. We do not have maids and servants in every mansion we own. We do not own private islands. We do not spend 10 thousand dollars or more per week. We do not have a NY central park penthouse. We do not have the privilege of having our own private organic farms.

I can continue with all we don't have and they (the ones getting our money)do have for pages upon pages but what we need to understand is that the ONLY THING WE HAVE IS TAX DEDUCTIONS UPON TAX DEDUCTIONS.

NOW WITH SOCIALISM…NO OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR OWN BUSINESS AND MAKE IT BIG BECAUSE THEY WON'T LET US.

Dear Morning Bell:We have all types of scenario's. The one that is practical, and fulfills our needs, is the one that works, But before we dash off into never, never land -Just about everything we are now facing, didn't drop out of the sky overnight. It was pracical planning in the Nations history, that worked- even with everything else we had to contend with,-Then along came problems, and society Floundered as we rushed, from one age to another.It Will Take science now to save us, and that takes intelligence- something that had dwindelled down/ over the century. It is practical people, who will survive, not out-of touch dogma, that only play's with the reality of Mankind.

Well said, Mr. Rabenold, of Fl. If gives me, a grandmother, hope that the younger generation actually has common sense and intelligence. The United States of America is under attack from within, and only the foolish refuse to acknowledge it. What is happening here in Mich to our auto industry and other US corps. is a crime of the highest magnitude. And, make no mistake, it is deliberate.

When I see a name commenting on a column I recognize as a leftist troll, I just by-pass it because it is such a waste of my time. I spend a lot of my free time studying the issues, contacting my Congressional representatives and attending seminars such as those sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, the best source of factual information today. I refuse to give up because I do not want my grandchildren to suffer in a Socialist/ Marxist society.

On the one Right hand are the historically repeated and proven facts of the best and most widely beneficial, self-governing, self-correcting and "self-cleaning oven" in the history of mankind which is free markets in a free U.S. featuring limited government prohibited against government seeking to draw power unto itself by foundational, documented warnings and Constitutionally guaranteed protections against such government control, as in this case of Obama the car salesman-in-chief.

Foundational examples of our principle of limited government are in both the statements and writings of our Founding Fathers, such as "Experience has shewn (shown) that as government grows, liberty decreases" (Thomas Jefferson), and also in our Constitution, including our first ten (10) Amendments known as our "Bill of Rights", and more.

The one "down-side" of such things is precisely because such things are against government power and money-grabbing, through such as government gaining involvement in and control of our lives and businesses, as in this case of government gaining control through their giving our money to the auto industry and in effect dictating what motor vehicles, and even what color of motor vehicles we "can" and "cannot (such as black motor vehicles)" buy and drive.

On the Left hand, there are (and always have been) those government elitists and statists, such as Obama, Reid, Pelosi, and their Comrades, who have always sought and continue to seek to circumvent anything, including our foundational principles and documents for limited government, for any pretense whatsoever which fits their government power and money-grabbing agenda.

The “down side” to that is that makes their whole government elitist and statist agenda a “downside” for everyone except them and their antics and machinations which in effect propagate and promote government dependants and dependence upon them, thereby also enriching and empowering government (i.e. themselves) at the expense of the people.

In short: On the Right hand there are our foundational principles and documents meant to guard against government elitist and statist power and money-grabbing, such as government gaining control through giving our money to the auto industry; on the Left hand there always have been and are those endlessly seeking to increase their government power for any pretense and by any means which circumvents or removes even our Constitutional “limitations against government” (as Obama says), and Obama and his Comrades are showing us, whom our Constitution identifies as "We the People", which hand they are on…the Left, as in government elitists and statists working to gain control of our lives and businesses, which is a recipe for loss and disaster for everyone except them, as already repeatedly proven around the world by their government elitist and statist predecessors and contemporaries alike.

my mind is on such overload with the massive amount of info out there..but it's good to see people are speaking out. i feel the republican leaders though are acting like lambs going to slaughter. i demand more action on there part. they are not aggressive enough…i never thought i would see the day when on one front we are being threatened with another terrorist attack, but the president is making priority speeches to the people that their car warantee will be honored by mr carsalesman himself…the dabamba. we are being stripped of our freedoms..our healthcare will fall to socialistic guidelines, like in europe, our 401k's will be dismantled,our dollar will no longer exist because a tyrant was voted in by ignorant and greedy leeches that feel spreading the wealth is the compassionate thing to do. the people who were given the same opportunity as us but chose to ride on the backs of us, the people who gave our sweat to accomplish what we have and what made this country great. it's time to revolt…where's the tea party? i'm fed up..republican leaders…get off your ass and do something…i'm tired of being politically correct!!!

Tomorrow I am sending General Motors a check for $10.00. I suggest that every American do the very same. Then GM can turn around and tell Obama and his socialist party where to stuff is bailout. We the American people can bailout any industry and stop Obama in his leftist tracks. $10.00 times every person that did not vote for Obama would be enough to stop the bailout. GM could then tell the Union where to go, move to the South region of the United States, and reorganize the company and be on the upswing. NO BAILOUT NEEDED. The purposed budget can not be, it is the most rediculious thing I have ever heard of. Enough is Enough. See you all in Columbia April 15th for the Tea Party.

What really irks all you Heritage followers is that the President has an effective approach that takes into consideration all the players in auto industry issues – including the thousands who rely on it. You thrive on a world of absolutes including the ideology that capitalism has no faults and has absolute rules that prevent the administration’s current action. First Obama was called a socialist, now one of your followers has called him a fascist. Check your political science: it is fascism that runs a government through absolute ideologies and rules. Well done, Mr. President. It’s through listening to these fools that shows you’re on the right track!

Pres. Obama is so far in over his head with all his changes that he wants to make, his inexperiance is going to effect every man woman & child in a negative way ! This kind of change is going to bring financial disaster for everyone!!!

I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that a community activist that never held a real job is now the first American Dictator. But one thing I have never heard any one explain, is who paid for Obama to make it through Columbia University and Harvard. I doubt if he did it on student loans.
At some point he was hooked up to some deep political pockets. Probably the Kennedy money got in there somewhere along the way. Obama said he was going to repair America’s image around the world, I’m still waiting for that one to start.
Meantime, let’s all go out and help the economy and buy a new car. Just make it a Ford, at least they didn’t take any gov. handouts.

My two and half year old son was playing next to my one day while I was doing the bed quietly, then all of the sudden he exclaimed: "JESUS'S CRISIS"! I turned to him and said I heard in the movie.

My point is that as innocent as this comment was made it leads me to say that if Christ was alive today he probably would see the state of this country and the world and his "crisis", for not being able to tap into enough people with his own example of resolve to live right and do right. Because it is our free will or giving choice to live from our Christ like spirit and not waiver. Instead most of us have chosen to be so harden that we do not effect the right change in ourselves and others or allow His truth to penetrate our souls deep enough to do right individually then collectibly.

with the spirit of Christ we can avoid and get us out of the messes the country and the whole world is creating for the Godless to redeem themselves as a whole.

What really irks all you Heritage followers is that the President has an effective approach that takes into consideration all the players in auto industry issues – including the thousands who rely on it. You thrive on a world of absolutes including the ideology that capitalism has no faults and has absolute rules that prevent the administration’s current action. First Obama was called a socialist, now one of your followers has called him a fascist. Check your political science: it is fascism that runs a government through absolute ideologies and rules. Well done, Mr. President. It’s through listening to these fools that shows you’re on the right track!

It is my belief that based on what is happening in Washington, that somehow come November 10 we need to make a wholesale change in oue elected officals. Maybe term limits are needed, but we can at least change most of them now.

Why didn't "Uncle" do this to the people on Wall Street too? Many folks are losing their jobs with out much to back them & the CEO walks away with 5M… Why ? Seems to me the guys doing their jobs are getting screwed twice…

Richard, of the left coast, this is a fine example of a koolaid drinker. Because we all know, that california, is in the lead, when we think of states that can set an example for the rest of the states. Bankrupt, because of the socialist programs. Keep up the good work, lead us to the promise land. If they find Helio Castrineves, guilty, will Obama appoint him to a cabinet post?

If a CEO in judged non-performing and the Board of Directors and Stockholders are unwilling to step up to firing the CEO, its time someone took responsibility and/or control and made some management changes, especially if they are investing the public's money to support the recovery of these firms. If one can value the auto industry and their associated upstream and downstream linkages relative to the alternatives, I think it is in the public's interest that someone step up to the plate; after all, Truman said "the buck stops here." I applaud the President for making a stand.

By the way, we have been through this before: remember Chrysler and Lee Iacocca? Let us not let ideology trump methodology.

It appears that we have a person smarter than our founding fathers. This was my biggest worry when he was elected. Obama is now a dictator over our once great "Constitutional Republic."

The only solution is to get back to the Constitution of our United States. We must start study groups in our communities so we can send messages to our elected representatives. They are standing idley by not knowing what to do while Obama takes us down the tube.

If we don't uphold our constitution, we will have no recourse and soon will be one of the third world countries.

Please America, wake up and join in stopping the greatest threat that our country has ever seen. Support the Constitution and advise your Congressmen to do the same.

To my naysayers today; I broke my own rules and deserved the thrashing. My appologies.

I sent a retraction 2 minutes after that post, asking HF not to post it –

cannot fathom what could have gone wrong while I was still under moderation?

My biggest argument with dyed in the wool free market capitalists is they run the constitution up the flag pole at every turn. It is not your "Right" to earn money at the expense of your own country's economic ruin. The irony is, of course, that GM, and most US owned Multi-National Corporations made money on both sides of the oceans while depleting US resources over the last 40 years. American workers did not! They continued to earn less.

Do any of you remember FDR threatening to send in the Marines to bring GM and

Rockefellers Standard Oil home from Germany in the run up to WWII? They were on the brink of capitalist treason and came home very reluctantly.

Do not cast Capitalism as something always Constitutional. To make profit at the expense of America's National Wealth should be treasonous.

When it comes to our government and the cancerous form of offshoring and global economics practiced in America over the last 40 years, I will stand where I stand.

I fought for this country and I was railing against the selling of America's major economic base when it began in earnest in the 1970's. Most of you are probably too young too recall the massive offshoring of OUR AMNERICAN EARNED CAPITAL to the rest of the world. It took 40 years to get us to this point. Union Workers could only sit by and watch as GM took $9 billion of profit earned off of the sweat of their labor, and shipped it to China in the 1980's. Then they'd cook the Domestic books to show "no profits" in America! Bullshit!

When I was in Japan enroute to Vietnam in 1968, I received 360 yen for one American dollar. Almost dead even swap today! Right.

Most Americans sat on their hands and ignored this selling off of America by the Corporate Elite. Not me and not ever. I want us to fight the right fight and stop the plundering of our Treasury for non-patriot capitalists and other nations gain.

Lastly – If you still do not get it! America's third leading export is SALVAGE! We've become a disposable economy, literally.

Janet – come to town and try the water – I'm in the phone book! It angers me to no end that seemingly wise people opt for the answer on the surface and look no deeper. You sound old enough to know better.

What makes Obama tick is adoration. He must have it. As frightening as he is as a radical liberal, I fear that we have a very dangerous personality as our president who is terribly flawed. Without a fawning media and adoring public who I like to compare to Moses's people who betrayed him for the Golden Calf when confronted by fear, Obama is very vulnerable.

The only check and balance we have as Americans who value our Founder's documents and our great country is to turn public opinion. That is starting to happen and as his popularity diminishes even more, he will begin to show troubling signs of unravelling and that is where he will lose his congressional support. That is how some of this madness can be stopped. That is when his inconstitutional, treasonous governance will be challenged by his peers. Politicians will always be politicians. When Obama begins to show that he is losing his influence and his power by virtue of tanking poll numbers, they will turn on him. It will be interesting and fun watching him self-destruct.

I have been reading all of your comments and very shocked at how some of you are very harsh on the American car companies. I worked for Chrysler for almost 19 years; then they sold my plant to a European company. Chrysler started dying when Daimler came into the picture but that really is irrelavent now. I have worked very hard for many years along with others and it is sad to see it all destroyed. Yes, the CEOs have made HUGE mistakes but that is not the workers fault. You also need to know that Government bends over backwards for the Foreign car companies to bring their manufacturing into the US. States give all types of tax breaks that US companies do not receive; health care for Japanese car companies – it is paid by the Government; that is not factored into their cost like the US companies. How do you compete with that? The playing field is not the same. I don't want our socialism in this country and I don't want to see if fail. Millions of jobs will be at stake if these companies fail…I'm already see people lose their jobs. People at my company are taking pay cuts to save jobs. The greedy finance world started this problem – but the American people will pay the price for their mess.

I hope none of you lose your jobs during these hard times. I'm not an Obama supporter but he wanted to be President so I dont' want him to fail. I think he is in over his head. He needs to run the country not companies!

I have been a loyal supporter of GM products for the past 15 years. I have paid more for the vehicles I purchased from GM, than if I had purchased a similar vehicle from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, etc. I knew that GM was under a $2000.00 disadvantage per vehicle compared to their competition… due to their egregious union contracts and pensions… before the first bolt was even put in a new vehicle moving down that conveyor belt through the assembly plant. But I was Mr. Small Town America. And I wanted to be faithful. Even patriotic.

Now I find that patriotism only goes one way. From the individual to the government. It is no longer a two way street. I am only prized for what taxation I can pay. I am penalized when I am creative or hard working and find ways to prosper a business. My reward? To climb the ever increasing slope of taxation mountain. And the higher I climb, the thinner the air is at the top.

I have invested my own personal funds in a new startup business and taken the losses that the first five years of a new busness virtually guarantees. No bank would loan me the money. Not that I blame them. Hmm… show me a history of your earnings… what earnings?! But I now employ three people. And if the business is successful, that could grow to nine or ten.

I've invested my funds, my creative energies, my physical and emotional well being, my families future. In short, my very life. In hopes that one day it would amount to something. And now the closer I get to that day, the farther away it appears. If I was lucky enough to one day earn $200,000, I would have less than $100,000 clear after all the taxes are paid (15.3% Self-Employed Social Security and Medicare, and nearly 42% tax rate under the new system beginning in 2010 after Charitable Deductions and Mortgage Interest are limited for those earning $200,000 or more). I could do a lot of other things, simplify life, and not risk my families future if I had never started this business to begin with.

What is becoming of America? I want to work hard and see my family prosper. I remember watching cartoons and see some shady character saying, "One for you, one for me. Two for you, two for me." But, what happens when that soon becomes, "One for you, two for me. Two for you, five for me." At that point, out of principle alone… I think I'll check out of the rat race. Find a tropical island hut somewhere and buy a fishing pole (or two). And watch the sunset on the dream that once was America.

The top tier of Banks, Corporations, the Funny Money's of Wall Street have our Fed Gov as a handpuppet to their massively wealthy whim.

They have shipped our infrastructure and manufacturing technology overseas with NO THOUGHT about maintainning The US Economic well being.

No one can touch out military superiority – because we have a National Military policy. We could similarly maintain our economic edge, if, like most industrialized nations, we were to have a bit more planned and parochial approach how we indulge globalism.

Greed is a killer excess in this country, to the point, I fear, of our own ruination.

Good article! This guy is out of control! Did you hear him just now answer questions without his teleprompters all around for help? Disgusting that this guy wants to even interfere in our businesses! Did anyone hear his remark about how he wants controls on all bonuses CEO's and other execs may get and mentions the word productive over a few years to qualify?

Mr Obama fire your liberal senators and congressman who have been there for years. Cut out their pay and benefits!They have accomplished nothing!What about the tax cheating individuals you continue to appoint?

Finally are you going to get involved in the sports industry? Talk about out of control bonuses given before the season even starts!Jay Cutler received how much to become a Bronco and now demands to be traded? Cut his bonus out also! Are you going to cut that out also so tickets can come back for us "middle class" people to be able to afford so we could take our family! Heck get involved in all of it! You have a great background in business!Right! How some of America elected this guy is beyond me! He lied and continues to lie! Hey Barrack H Obama? How many personal individuals did you take with you to play basketball with you? Talk about wasting money? Did they get a bonus?

[…] taxpayer-funded infomercial came just 10 days after President Obama played car salesman in the Grand Foyer of the White House and five weeks after he played stockbroker in the Oval Office. How did this happen? Why is the […]

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